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42 | O C T O B E R 2 0 2 0 Lighting As technology for the lights improves, so do the accompanying operational tools. Lighting controls are becoming more readily adopted (due in part to more stringent energy requirements for builders), and with higher demand comes more accessible price points. "These systems can range from being simple and dealing only with lighting, or can be integrated to work with AV, mechanical, or even the blinds, depending on project requirements or budget," says Lifton. These sort of energy-saving systems are important to today's homeowner, who is looking for both energy efficiency and lighting quality for their space. Luckily, a lot of the advancements have been in system controls, and making systems that are wireless or suitable for more residential environments at reasonable price points, like Lutron Ketra or the Halo Home system, are great examples of these advancements. INSPIRED INNOVATIONS BL Lighting's BL neonView SI series goes one step further and pairs LED technology with the look of neon. The injection moulded seamless connections offer the opportunity for these neon-inspired lights to run for seemingly infinite lengths. Unlike real neon, these linear lights are dimmable, weather-resistant, and offer saturated light diffusion with no dark spots. For their application on the Guadalupe Regional Medical Center, for example, the BL neonView lights run the perimeter and illuminate in a variety of colours depending on the occasion – from Breast Cancer Awareness month to Christmas. The advent of COVID-19 has also created the opportunity for innovation in the lighting world. Ben Rajewski, electrical team lead for Williams Engineering, points out that a surplus of Ultraviolet (U V-C) disinfecting light fixtures are entering into the market in the wake of the pandemic. "Many people are looking for all available disinfection measures to keep safe," says Rajewski. "Previously, these sorts of fixtures were only seen sparingly in hospital settings or in air handling units, but they are now being mass produced and the applications for them have risen substantially." These U V-C light sources work as a disinfection source, operating in the light spectrum from 200 to 280nm: when shone directly at surfaces, or air or water, it can kill viruses and bacteria. These U V-C rays are so powerful, that they can even be harmful to humans, so these fixtures are intended to be used separately from normal lighting – when fixtures in a space are on, that space should not be occupied by people. Rajewski calls this disinfection technology "possibly the largest new growth market for lighting since LEDs." And as the pandemic continues, so too, he hopes, will technological advances. "The current applications remain in health- care or hotels where the suites will be vacated and cleaned, but technology is still catching up and the next and most exciting step will be using fixtures that only emit U V light in the far U V-C Spectrum." That's a range of approximately 207 to 222nm. Within this spectrum, fixtures could be used in human-occupied spaces because this level of U V still kills viruses and bacteria, but cannot pen- etrate human eyes or skin. The current technology isn't perfect, by any means, as disinfection only lasts until a space is reoccupied, but a constantly "on" fixture would greatly improve the disinfection rate of the space. "Research is still being done on these fixtures, but I see the future 'new normal' involving far U V-C fixtures in most public spaces," says Rajewski. "The applications are endless, with coverage over high-touch surfaces such as gym equipment, grocery store carts, and library book stacks. As a lighting designer, I believe the future involves not only proper illumination for tasks but also disinfection strategies." The future of U V-C lights will likely eventually trickle down to municipali- ties and commercial developers, and then to architects. It's certainly possible to imagine one day that U V-C will be a requirement for new construction, suggests Rajewski. "In my career I have seen a wave of change in lighting with the advent and adoption of LEDs, and I believe that the next wave of change will be the use of U V-C fixtures as part of common design practice." It's important to appreciate lighting solutions that bring us great design, thoughtful moments of beauty, or innovative technologies: in ways big and small, these are products we interact with every day, and they absolutely can affect our health and comfort. It's impossible to know what the future holds, but one thing we know for sure: whatever we're doing, wherever we are, we'll need a light to guide our way. A Whether building the home of your dreams and working with our professional in house interior design staff at our state of the art showroom or contacting our passionate and innovative team for cost effective solutions on your latest major project. We are the professional dealers of world class lighting, working with owners and developers locally and throughout North America providing sustainable lighting solutions. 5000 SQ FT Showroom ▪ Multi Residential & Commercial Office Lighting ▪ Hospitality and FF&E Lighting ▪ Custom Decorative Lighting LED Retrofit ▪ Leed Silver, Gold and Platinum LED lighting ▪ Light Media & Facade LED Lighting ▪ Controls & System Integration ▪ 604-538-3511 oceanpacificlighting.com